Knife sharpener



NOV ll, 1941. E-.MADE E-rAL KNIFE SHARPENER Filed" June 5, 1940 2Sheets-Sheet 1 Patented Now-11, `1941 OFFICE KNIFE SHARPENER Alexis E.

Meade and ilvlargaret Ll' Meade,` I s Lakewood, Ohio Application June 5,1940, Serial No. 338,866`

13 claims. ii., 51-2'14) This invention relates to knife sharpeners andone object of the invention is to provide a small,

lightand compact portable device for this purpose.` Anotherv object isto provide `means for removably supporting the abrasive members of theSharpener together with retaining means for thesame, which are readilyreleasable when the abrasive members require replacement. A, furtherobject is to provide a portable knife sharpener in which the abrasivemembers are supported in oppositely oblique positions upon" slidablecarriers having relatively broad bases to insure easysliding movement. sAnd it is also an object of theinvention to provide carriers for theabrasive members designed to protect the gudeways on which they move toprevent the accumulation of abrasive dust thereon.` Other objects andadvantages will appear as" the de` scriptionproceeds. The inventionconsists in certain features and elements of construction in combinationas hereinshown and Vdescribed and as indicated `by the claims. s l

' In-the drawings: v s

Figure 1 is a side elevation oa portable knife Sharpener embodying thisinvention.

` Figure 2 is atop plan view lof the same.

Figure 3 is" the bottom plan view.`

Figure 4 is a vertical sectional View taken as indicated at line 4-4 onFigure K2,r buton a larger scale.

Figure `5 is a transverse section taken as indicated at` line 5`5 onFigure fl,

Figure 6 is I a `fragmentary Vertical section showing a modified formofabrasive retainer.`

Figure 7 is al fragmentary perspective nView showing another formofabrasive retainer. n Fig. 8 is a fragmentary detail section` showinganother `form of abrasiveretainer. J r L Figure 9 is" a `fragmentarydetail section showing a further modication of abrasive retainer. I TFigure 10 is a perspective View showing one of the carriers removed fromthe frame, but 'with the abrasive members mounted thereon. f Figure 11is a perspectiveview .of` the other carrier with its abrasive member. s

Figure 12 is a perspective View of a stop member. I l

Figure 13 is a partial back view of one of the carriers. s

Figure 14 is a side elevation of a modified form of Isharpener havingcertain parts adaptedior folding when out of use. I

Figure 15 is a side elevation showing the parts folded incollapsedposition. s

The Sharpener which is the subject of this invention is of thetype inwhichwa plurality of abrasive members are disposed lin` oppositely`obliqueplanes to form a V-shapedspacevinto which the cutting edge ofaknife is `received so that as the blade is reciprocated .the abrasivemembers act on bothsides of the blade simulta-` neously to sharpen `itscutting edge. In addi# tion the abrasive members aremountedpon carrierswhich are slidable so asto permit the abra sives to move apart as theblade is pressed down beween them, thus bringing into action the fulllength of each abrasive surface, iwhile suitable spring means holds saidsurfaces Lyieldinglyin s contact with the knife blade which is beingsharpened. As shown in Figure 1 the Sharpener includes a case or frame Iwhich is approx` imately rectangular inoutline and consists essentially'of side wallsand `end walls. In'the form illustrated in `Figures l toY5 the casel in-` cludes top or cover portions'2`at both ends, but' Iits `middle portion is left upwardly open topro- Vide clearance formovement of the abrasive vcarriers and to afford ready access to theabrasives themselves. The end Walls 3, 3 of the casing supportlongitudinal guide rods 4, 4 onwhich the abrasive carriers are slidablymounted; 4"I'he carrier 5 is shown supporting two stones or abrasivemembers Ii, 6 while the carrier l` is provided with a single stone orabrasive member 8 extend-'- ing between thestones 6, 6. The workingfaces of the stones `I5, 6 extend in` a" plane which is oblique to thevertical, and the working faceof the` stone 8 l extendsin a planeoppositely oblique as seen -in Figures l and 4, thus providing al Vshaped opening into which the edge of a-knife blade such as that shownat A in Figure lmay `be inserted `for sharpening.

The carrier `li which. supports the stones 6, 6 includes'a base portion9 having a bearing flange I0 at one end and bearing lugs I I,` I I atthe other s end withialigned bores `in said angefandlugs to t 4the guiderods 4, 4 of the frame 2|.` The carrier includes' upstanding portionswhichpro vide inclined channels :to receivethe abrasive stones 6, 6between their side flanges ^I3= and these channel portions are shown`,connected by a web I 4 andreenforced by a bracing rib I 5,. The othercarrier 1 includes a single channel be` tweenwhose side langesl thestone 8 is i'ltted and thisY channelis supported by a rib I9,.up'

standing from the base 20 which includes a lon-.- gitudinally extendingportion 2| connecting transverse flanges 22 `and123 which are bored toiitonthe rods 4, 4 `of the frame; When .the

parts are assembled the portion 2| of the base 2f t 28 extends betweenthe lugs I I, II of the base 9 and the flange 23 rides on the guide rods4, 4

under the base 9 so that the two bases are thus interlapped to conservespace and to operate in a case of' minimum length. Figure 4 shows thecarriers at one limit of their range reciprocative movement on theguides 4, 4 with the stones 6 and 8 closely approaching each other andleaving onlyV a small V-shaped opening between the planes of their upperends to receive the knife blade. Figure l shows the stones and theircarriers separated by the maximum amount so as to permit the knife bladeto pass between the lower ends of the stones.

The frame I includes or is provided with upstanding guides 24 at bothsides, each having a vertical guide slot 25 to receive the knife bladeand maintain it in substantially vertical position as it is forceddownwardly between the abrasive stones 6 and 8. Near their lower endsthe guide slotsy arek constricted as seen at 26 to a width somewhat lessthan the normal thickness of a knife blade so that although thesharpened cutting 'edge may pass through these constricted portions ofthe slots 26 the downward movement of the blade A willbe arrested by theconstriction. Below this pointeach of the slots has an enlargedclearance opening 27 so as to avoid contact with the cutting edge of theknife blade. The angle of the constriction 26 in the slot 25 is not suchas to cause the blade to be gripped in the slot or to seriouslyinterfere with further movement of the blade between the stones 5 and 8,but it serves .to definitely limit the vertical `range of movement ofthe blade between the stones and to vprotect the edge which is beingsharpened. At all times the stones are yieldingly urged toward eachother by means of a single tension spring 28 anchored at one end in theiianger I `of the carrier 5 and engaged at the other end with a hook 29in the ange 22 of the carrier 1. This single tension member 28 pressesthe stones I and 8 against opposite faces of the knife blade with equalpressure; but with the blades inserted between them the stones and theircarriers are free to move in either direction as a unit on the guiderods 4, 4 except that their position'is controlled bythe engagement ofthe knife blade in the guide slots 25 of the upstanding guides 24.

. To 'insure that the V-shaped opening between the :abrasive stonesshall register initially with theslots 25 the frame I includes xedstopsv 3D which extend obliquely upward to engage substantial portionsof the working faces 4of the stones 6, 6; and a bridge piece 3I issecured in slots 32 of the side walls of the frame so as to support anupwardly extending stop lug 33 to engage the working face of the stone8. Thus the stones are stopped at definite points in their respectivemovements toward the slot 25 so as to'leave limited portions of theirworking faces at the upper ends exposed for initial engagement with theknife blade and since the stops 30 and 33 engage the working faces ofthe stones this condition will be maintained as the stones kwearaway-because the wear will be followed up by the tension of the spring28 always urging the working faces of the stones against the stops.

A s shown in the drawings, each of the stones isyof rectangularcross-section, but has oppositely inclined or beveled ends, and thechannels between flanges I3 and I8 of the carriers terminate at theirlower'e'nds i'n the acutely angular pockets to t the beveled ends of thestones. At the upper end each stone is secured by a retainer 34 which,as shown in Figure 4, may be made of spring metal formed with ahook-shaped lower end to fit around a lug 35 on the carrier, and with abent upper end which overhangs the beveled end of the stone. The sideanges I3 and I8 of the channels, the pockets at their lower ends, andthe retainers at the upper ends overlap only a portion of the depth ofeach stone, thus leaving a generous portion of each of the abrasivemembers 6 and 8 exposed for Work and wear. When the exposed portionshave been almost worn away the spring retainers 35 may be readilydisengaged from the upper ends of the stones. The back of each channelis vcut away at the upper end between the side flanges, as seen at 5a inFigure 13, to make it easy to grasp the upper ends of the stones forslidably withdrawing them and inserting new ones.

Figure 6 shows a modified form of retainer 36 consisting of an acutelyangular metallic pocket loosely carried on a threaded stud 3l projectingfrom the back of the carrier. The pocket 3B is clamped in position bymeans of a thumb nut 38 and when the stone is to be replaced it is onlynecessary to loosen or remove the nut 38 and disengage the pocket 35from the upper end of the stone.

Figure 7 shows another form 'of retainer consisting of a wire loop orband 39 having its lower end engaged in a notched lug of the carrierwhile its upper end bears against the upper bevelled end of the stone.In retaining position the upper end of the loop 39 is wedged against theend surface of the stone so that to release the stone it is onlynecessary to swing the loop backward out of wedging position.

In Figure 8 the retainer 4I is an acutely bent clip engaging thebevelled end of the stone and formed with a lug 42 through which aclamping screw 43 extends into a threaded boss 44 on the back of thesupporting channel. Figure 9 shows a variation of this arrangement inwhich the angular clip 45 has a lug 46 engaging the threads of a tensionrod 41, while a threaded lug 48 engages an oppositely threaded portionof the rod 41. of the rod may be squared at 49 so that its rotation inone direction clamps n the end of the stone while opposlte rotationreleases the retainer.

tremely simple and does not require disassembllng any of the mechanism.

As a safety feature each of the upstanding ateas close as possible tothe 'hilt or handle of the blade indicated at B in Figure 2. the guardanges `t) are spacedat a substantial distance from the slots 25. Thesymmetrical designfof the casing IV rendersit likely that it mayfbegrasped and held by either end; accordingly guard flanges 50 areprovided at bothsidesof the slots and since the interlapping arrangementof the stones precludes having them closely adjacent the side walls ofthe frame at both sides of each of the slots 25, itmay be desirable forthe user to reverse the sharpener end for end in the process ofsharpening a blade soas to insure equal abrasive action on both sidesofthe cut` ting edge. This is an additional reason for the symmetricaldesign of the case and for the provision of guard flanges 50 at bothsides of the guide slots 25.

In the course of operation as the working faces of the stones 6 and 8wear away, the dust of abrasive material thus produced will be carrieddownward and might tend to cause rapid wear of the guide rods 4, 4 andbores of the carriers which ride thereon if it should lodge on the guiderods. Therefore, the upper faces of the carriers adjacent the guide rods4 are `preferably made convex with downwardly sloping edges so as toshed the dust and allow it to fall past the rods onto thetable or othersupport, the case l preferably being made open at the bottom. Thus theedges of the baseportion 9 are shown sloping downwardly at 9a and theedges of the portion f 2l of carrier 1 are similarly bevelled at 2|a.Directly below the V-shaped opening which is formed between the workingfaces of the stones orrods 4 are completely covered by upwardly convexor V-shapedportions Ila of the lugs Il, thus. minimizing the chance thatany of the vabrasive dust will lodge on the guide rods themselves.

For convenience of assembling, the rods 4 may be understood as oftubular formation with their end portions threaded and with retainingscrews 54 inserted through counter-sunk openings in the end `walls 3 ofthe case I. However, any other conventional arrangement may be .employedfor securing lthe rods removably `in the frame. In order that the coverportions 22 may enclose as much `of the mechanism as possible thecentral opening ofthe case is made with elongated slots or notches 52 asseen in Figure 2 for accommodating the bracing ribs l5 and I9 of thecarriers in their reciprocation.

has become partly worn. This `will notonly in`-` sure a properdistribution of wear butwill continue toprovide a suitable enteringopeningbetween the upper ends of the stones as the wear onV their`working faces allows their carriers to beV drawn closer together by thespring 28. And since the `retainers 34 and the upper ends of thestonesarereadily accessible without, in any way, disturbing theiotherparts of the sharpener, this vreversal can be accomplished in afewseconds and as frequently as the user finds it desirable. Figures13`and 14 illustrate a modified design adapting the sharpener to befolded into a package of minimum dimensions so as to be readily packedand Icarried as a part of the kit of `a woodsman or hunter.' or frame 60may consist of a simple peripheral Wall entirely open at the top; Thebase portions ofthe carrier and their guide rods may be similar to thosealready described but the `upstandin'g portions 65and 51 of the carriersare shown hingedlyl connected at 66 and 68,.respectively, to .theirbasesand braced in upstanding position by struts 69 which are pivotallysecured` in lugs 'I0 of the `carrier bases and which merely beardisengageably against lugs `'ll of the parts 65 and 6l.` For packing thedevice the struts 69 are swung down to the position shown in Figure 14andthe hinged carrier members 65 and li'l` are also swung to horizontalposition reducing-the height of the device by about one-half. The guideslots 'l5 are formed in upstanding arms 14 `of a detachable yoke inwhich the parts 14 are connectedby a cross-bar member lilnormallyextending under the frame B0. Rounded bosses 16 engage holes 11 in thesides of the frame, but for packing the device this yoke may be springsufficiently to release the bosses from the holes 11, permitting removalof the yoke and its replacement in horizontal position over one end .ofthe frame with its bosses 'lli` engaging holes `'I8 asseen in Figure`14. The entire device may then be tted into a suitable rectangular case,

not shown. i i i While there is shown and described herein certainspecific structure embodying the invention; it will be manifest to`those skilled in the art that various modifications and re-arrangementsofthe parts may be made without departing `from the spirit and scopeofthe invention, and

that the 'same isnot limited to the particular form `herein shown anddescribed, except inso Since the stops 30 and 33 extend parallel to ythe working faces of the stones 6 and B, and both engage substantialportions of the length of said stones or abrasive members, theywillmaintain the proper relation of the stones with respect to the guideslots 25'as the working faces of the stones wear away with use. Thiswear willbe fairly well distributed over the length of each stone,because, ordinarily, the knife `blade will be carried past the lowerends of the abrafar-` as indicated by the appended claims. i l Weclaim:`c ,Y

In a knife sharpener, a frame providing -a fixed guide' slot for a knifeblade, a pair of car, riers, `abrasive members supported thereon` withtheir `working faces in intersecting planes, and a guideway on the frameon which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation transversely oftheguide slot and toward and from each other, each carrier having a baseportion extended inthe Vdirection of said guideway and lapping past the.basebf theother carrier, with bearing portions at the ends of said baseportions `engaging the giiideway,` the bearing portions at one end ofone carrier engaging the guideway between the bearing portions of theother carrier on said guide? `fais/ l l2. In a knife sharpener, a frame,parallel guide rods extending longitudinally in the frame, a pair ofcarriers mounted for reciprocation on the guide rods, abrasive memberssupported on the carriers with their working faces in intersectingplanes, one carrier having base portionsextend- For this purpose thecase I ing longitudinally over the guide rods with bearing portions attheir ends slidable on the rods, said base portions having laterallysloping upper surfaces, the other carrier having a base portion whichextends longitudinally between the vertical planes of the rods withlaterally projecting bearing portions at its ends slidably engaging saidrods, and said base portion of said other carrier having laterallysloping upper surfaces whereby both carriers will shed abrasive dustfalling on said bases, the frame being open at the bottom for the escapeof said dust.

- 3. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, parallel guide rods extendinglongitudinally in the frame, a pair of carriers mounted forreciprocation on said rods, one carrier having base portions extendinglongitudinally over the guide rods with bearing portions at their endsengaging the rods, the other carrier having a base portion which extendslongitudinally between the bases of the rst mentioned carrier and whichhas laterally projecting bearing portions engaging the rods, andabrasive members supported on said carriers with their working facesextending obliquely upward and disposed respectively above said baseportions and intermediate the bearing portions of the carriers on whichthey are supported.

4. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, parallel guide rods extendinglongitudinally in the frame, a pair of carriers mounted forreciprocation on said rods, one carrier having base portions extendinglongitudinally over the guide rods With bearing portions at their endsengaging the rods, the other carrier having a base portion which extendslongitudinally between the bases of the rst mentioned carrier and whichhas laterally projecting bearing portions engaging the rods, andabrasive members supported on said carriers with their working facesextending obliquely upward and disposed respectively above said baseportions, the upper surfaces of the base portions adjacent the lowerends of the abrasive members sloping laterally downward to protect theguide rods from abrasive dust.

5. In a knife Sharpener which includes a plurality of abrasive membersdisposed with their working faces in planes which intersect at an acuteangle, and guiding means controlling the relative movement of saidmembers and maintaining the angular relation between their working facesas they are moved apart by the introduction of a knife blade betweenthem, means providing a guide slot for such blade, said slot narrowingto a constricted portion at which the Width of the slot is less than thethickness of such blade back of its cutting edge, and with a Widerportion beyond the constriction affording clearance for the cutting edgewhen it passes through the constriction.

6. In a knife Sharpener which includes a plurality of abrasive membersdisposed with their working faces in planes which intersect at an acuteangle, and guiding means controlling the relative movement of saidmembers and maintaining the angular relation between their working facesas they are moved apart by the introduction of a knife blade betweenthem, means providing a guide slot for such blade, said slot narrowingto a constricted portion at which the width of the slot is less than thethickness of such blade back of its cutting edge, said constrictionbeing located below the level of the lower ends of the working faces ofthe abrasive members.

'7. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, a pair of car- 75.

riers, abrasive members supported thereon with their working faces inintersecting planes, and a guideway on the frame on which said carriersare mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrierhaving a base portion extended in the direction of said guideway andlapping past the base of the other carrier, with bearing portions at theends of said base portions engaging the guideway, together with wearcompensating stops on the frame extending upwardly for contact with theworking faces of the abrasive members over substantial portions of theirlength.

8. In a knife Sharpener, a frame providing a fixed vertical guide slotand a horizontal guideway extending transversely thereof in oppositedirections therefrom, a pair of carriers both mounted for slidingmovement on said guideway, and abrasive means on said carriers disposedrespectively with their working faces in oppositely oblique relation tothe guide slot and in planes which intersect at the plane of the slot,together with a single spring yieldingly connecting said carriers toeach other independently of the frame, urging them toward each other andthereby applying the abrasive means with equal pressure to oppositesides of a knife blade inserted in the slot.

9. In the combination defined in claim 8, each of said securing elementscomprising a clip of spring metal having a hook-shaped lower endengageable with a lug at the back of the channel and an angularly bentupper end fitting over the inclined upper end of the abrasive member.

10. In the combination defined in claim 8, said securing means includingan angularly bent clip fitting over the inclined upper end of theabrasive member, and threaded means engaging said clip with a lugprojecting from the back of the channel whereby the clip may be clampedend- Wise against the abrasive member.

11. In a knife Sharpener, an upwardly open oblong frame, a pair ofcarriers, longitudinal guideways on the frame on which said carriers`are mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrierhaving a base portion engaged with the guideways and an upstandingportion hinged thereto, abrasive members supported on the upstandingportions of the carriers with their working faces in intersectingplanes, and bracing means on the bases supporting the upstandingportions but disengageable therefrom to permit said portions to befolded down toward the frame in compact arrangement.

l2. In a knife Sharpener, an upwardly open oblong frame, a pair ofcarriers, a longitudinal guideway on the frame on which said carriersare mounted for reciprocation toward and from each other, each carrierhaving a base portion engaged with the guideway and an upstandingportion hinged thereto, abrasive members supported on the upstandingportions of the carriers with their working faces in intersectingplanes, upstanding guide means at each side of the frame providinga'guide slot perpendicular to the guideway at a plane substantiallybisecting the angle between the planes of said working faces, andbracing means on the bases supporting the upstanding portions butdisengageable therefrom to permit said portions to be folded down towardthe frame in compact arrangement, said upstanding slotted guide meansbeing adjustable for disposing their slots horizontally to reduce theheight of the Sharpener for packing.

13. In a knife Sharpener, a frame, a pair of carriers, a guideway on theframe on which said carriers are mounted for reciprocation toward andfrom each other,` yielding means urging the carriers toward each other,`and abrasive members supported on the carriers with their working facesdisposed in intersecting planes for contact with opposite faces of ablade to be sharpened n by reciprocation in its own plane between saidabrasive members and under downward pressure tending to urge them apartin opposition to said yielding means, each abrasive member havingparallel side walls and end walls oppositely and obtusely inclined tothe working faces of the 10 Walls exposed.

member, the carriers having channels with side wallsbetween which saidmembers are fitted and with end walls at the lower ends inclined tooverlap portionsof the'inclined ends of the abrasive members, togetherwith disengageable securing means overhanging portions of the inclinedupper ends of said members whereby the abrasives are held captive intheI channels with their working faces and adjacent portions of theirside ALEXIS E. MEADE; MARGARET L. MEADE.

